Ron & April Gill converted this Antique Watering Can into a gorgeous garden gift shop. While you may not be able to actually shop in this gift shop, did you know that our museum has one? midwestminiaturesmuseum (Atlas Obscura User)

Mr. Albert Hammer created a series of Victorian Storefronts from various cities across the United States and Canada. This particular piece is inspired by a storefront in Toledo. midwestminiaturesmuseum (Atlas Obscura User)

Mr. Albert Hammer created a series of Victorian Storefronts from various cities across the United States and Canada. This particular piece is inspired by a storefront in St. Louis. midwestminiaturesmuseum (Atlas Obscura User)

Mr. Albert Hammer created a series of Victorian Storefronts from various cities across the United States and Canada. This particular piece is inspired by a storefront in Fort Edward. midwestminiaturesmuseum (Atlas Obscura User)

The simple lives of down-to-earth midwesterners have been made bite-size in the shrunken worlds on display at the Midwest Miniatures Museum.

Hidden away on a little farm near the marvelously named town of Kalamazoo, is a tiny white farmhouse, that holds even tinier rooms inside it. The Midwest Miniatures Museum is a treasure trove of meticulously made miniature rooms that look like something out of Norman Rockwell’s toy chest. Quaint scenes and Americana are all the rage in the museum with a number of different tiny tableaus including a series of medical dioramas. Painstakingly recreated in 1:12 scale, the rooms cover such a midwestern sights as a turn-of-the-century doctor’s office, ophthalmologist, obstetrician’s, dentist’s and even a newborn baby wing. While the scenes depicted in the miniatures are quite banal, the details of each scene make them some of the more unusual miniatures ever built, with their tiny baby incubators, stirrups, foot-pedal-powered dentist’s drill, and tiny x-ray machine. In addition to the little vignettes, there are also a number miniature buildings and scaled-down dolls to complete the collection.

Know Before You Go

This is a seasonal museum. It is open on weekends in April and November, and seven days a week May to October. If you want to visit outside of seasonal hours just give them a call to make special arrangements.

Sign up for our newsletter and get the best of Atlas Obscura in your inbox.

Stay in Touch!

No purchase necessary. Winner will be selected at random on 01/01/2019. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Offer subject to change without notice. See contest rules for full details.

Add Some Wonder to Your Inbox

Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you.

We'd Like You to Like Us

We value your privacy

Atlas Obscura and our trusted partners use technology such as cookies on our website to personalise ads, support social media features, and analyse our traffic. Please click below to consent to the use of this technology while browsing our site. To learn more or withdraw consent, please visit our privacy policy.